


Learn from the Past, but not like that

by orphan_account



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-06
Updated: 2012-10-06
Packaged: 2017-11-15 18:08:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/530164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron Hotchner receives a  phone call while driving home from work one day with his lover Spencer Reid, the five minute call could have dire consequences for his relationship with the younger agent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learn from the Past, but not like that

**Author's Note:**

> In this, Jack is in junior high.

Experience - the wisdom that enables us to recognise in an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced. - Ambrose Bierce

\------------------------------------------------------------------  
"I'm sorry, I must have misheard you, could you repeat that please" as the voice on the other end of the phone repeated their previous statement, Aaron Hotchner's face contorted into a mixture of shock and anger. His partner stared at him, wondering what was going on. All Aaron had said before answering the phone was that it was Jack's school. "Okay, I understand, I'll be there shortly, thank you Mr Humphrey." He hung up the call and flung the phone onto the dashboard swearing as he did so. "I cannot believe him; I thought I was raising him better than that. Spence, Ill drop you to your place and we'll be there later"

 

"Aaron, whatever it is, it can't be that bad. Jack is a great kid. He probably just made a mistake, how bad can it be?" Silence filled the car. Aaron looked over at Spencer for a moment, his face fearful "Aaron, what is it? Tell me"

 

"He and a few of his friends, stole a boys clothes while he was in the showers, leaving him with only a skirt to wear out of the locker room. The boy's parents want to sue" he looked at the road ahead as he spoke. He knew what he was saying would upset Spencer. He knew it would dredge up some of his own bad memories from his time in high school. He glanced to the side and caught the look on his boyfriends face. "Spencer?"

 

"How could he?" Tears were rolling down the man's face.

 

"He made a stupid choice Spencer, I am going to make him pay dearly for it, trust me" Aaron wasn't sure if he was talking to Spencer, or to himself.

 

"Hotch, pull in and leave me out here" Aaron's blood ran cold, Spencer called him Hotch. Things were worse than he thought.

 

"Spence"

 

"Leave me out here and I think maybe you shouldn't come over tonight" he was staring straight ahead now, his voice firm.

 

Aaron pulled the car into the side of the road, "Spence, please, can you tell me what's going on?"

 

"A few weeks ago, Jack asked me what happened me when I was in high school, regarding bullies and all that. I told him some of the things" he took a deep breath before continuing. "When I was ten, I was showering after gym class. When I came out of the showers, all of my clothes were gone and instead there was a pink frilly dress, left in their place. I had to wear the dress home. I told your son how humiliated and terrible I had felt and he used my experience to inflict suffering on another human being. He used me to help figure out the best way to hurt that kid" tears continued to run down his face. The betrayal obvious in his eyes.

 

"Spence... I...God, I didn't know" Aaron was shaking, his voice close to breaking.

 

"So, I think it best if maybe we didn't do this anymore Aaron, I don't know if I can forgive Jack for what he's done, and I will not make you divide your time between us. I love you too much for that. I'm sorry."

 

Spencer leant over to the driver's seat, cupping Aaron's face in his hands and kissed him. Aaron kissed back, as passionately as he could. His profiling skills told him he was fighting the inevitable. Spencer was kissing him for the final time. All too soon, Spencer pulled away, smiling sadly as he got out of the car, closing the door softly and walked down the street.

 

Aaron Hotchner cried for weeks after losing Spencer. Being forced to work with him and to see the younger man's heartbreak both for losing Aaron and for the betrayal by his son. Jack Hotchner would never forget the pain he had caused his father, and no matter how hard he tried, he could never fix it.


End file.
